Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1887-03-10

Ioolu. ho WAS dCCOnphultu ny OOl.
Lamont, Mr.. Fairchild, Villas and Bay.
ard.
Waiting bills were at once placed be.
fore him, some were signed, many left
unsigned, and after the President had
graciously given five minutes of his time
to facilitate the business of the closing
Congress, the Senate after receiving the
measures which he had signed, adjourn
ed without delay.
Such straining after dignity In o
President as to refuse to do what all be-
fore him have done without thought of
loss of dignity, and thus oblige over
worked members of the committees on
enrolled bill TO rush between the Capitol
and the White House in carriages
through slush and storm for many hours
In other words to compel Congress to
stand hat in hand before him-is strain
ing after dignity which strains real dig.
nifty to its destruction.
There was busy scene for half an
hour or more on the floor of each house,
as senators and members bid each other
good bye and received the congratula
tions and the farewells of friends who
crowded down from the galleries and in
from the corridors to speed these parting
guests of the nation. OF the large appro.
priation bills the president is responsible
for the failure of one only, namely. the
river and harbor bill.
There is general dissatisfaction at his
course upon the measure Unusual care
had been taken by both parties to bring
the bill within reasonable limits, and to
keep out Uf 1t Objectionable items. 1t Is
believed to have been as fair bill as has
been reported of lte years In amount
II aggregated Il little less than ten mil
lions, against the one of fifteen millions
which he signed last year.
1t embraced appropriations which were
in no sense extravagant for a great many
very important works now in course of
construction, and 1t Is unquestionably
true that the loss to the government
through the coming year on account of
the damage which will arise to incom-
pleted works will amount to large sums,
in many cases being less than the destruc
tion of the work already begun.
The Notifications bill failed because a
few of the narrow leaders on the Demo
cratic side in the House thought that
pinching economy and reduction of ap-
preparations was better policy than any
expenditure for the national defense. In
this they were opposed, but to no practi-
cal purpose. by most of the Democrats on
the senate side.
The general deficiency bill, a measure
of great Importance, and the failure of
which will cause widespread and serious
embarrassment in the public service, failed
because of the delay purposely imposed
upon the public business by the Demo
Gratis of the House Appropriations Com
mittee. The failure OF this bill will pro
duce embarrassment in almost every
branch Of the public service, not only In
Washington but throughout the country
! Aside from the public service. ii con
tains provisions for settling claims long
due private individuals in every part oi
the country. 1t was drawn 10 cover tht
multitude of deficiencies which arose
from the false economy placed upon thu
bills of last session for the purpose o.
making show of reducing expenditure
for campaign purposes.
The necessity Of meeting these deficien
cies was almost as great as the need fol
passing the ordinary appropriation bills
for the service of the government, and
the bill is of almost as universal applica
tion as the sundry civil bill itself. Prac
tically its failure represents Reputation
on large scale by the government O
countless sums justly due TO those In tn,
public service who suffer seriously from
the delay, and to great numbers of citi
zens in private life, to whom the govern
mcnt is in honor bound for the paymen
of the sums for which this bill provided
While 1t may not be good national pol
icy to make liberal appropriations prim
arily because they furnish employment t
those needing 1t, when great national ex
penditures are required, 1t is certainly
: reason for general congratulation thG
they do make work plenty. Workme
everywhere, therefore, have much to la
to heart when well guarded river an
harbor bill, and bills providing for tn
national defense involving immense EN-
) ployments in foundries, In iron and shi
/ yards, and in the quickening of man
branches of industry which these work
would cause. are either rejected by
Democratic House or rejected by a Den
+ ocratic President. BY these Ill judge
acts the way has been closed to thousand
of workingmen for full employment fC
several years.
: One of the Presidents freaks was
Y withhold his signature from the bill a
taching the panhandle or northern po
tion OF Idaho to Washington Territor,
As all who are acquainted with the ge
9 graphy of that country know this porto
0 of Idaho Is separated from the main po
4 tion Of the Territory by range Of mou
. tains. through which there Is no tho
. oughfare, and the residents Of this mort
I ern portion wishing to reach the capt.
t Of the Territory must make long al
' expensive journey through adjacent Te
ritories.
i The citizens Of the portion affected |
= the change were practically unanimol
i for the bill. Both delegates from Il
Territory, the new and the retiring on
favored 1t. The committees Of eac
II house were unanimous, The bill passt
= with general approval, and yet the Pres
/. dent vetoed 1t. He gave as a reason th
9 he had received letter from one of h
> new appointees whom he knew In Il
, Territory, advising him not to sign 1t.
. This furnishes an excellent Illustrate
!, Of how the affairs Of government are ca
. ried on at the White House.
y 1t Is easy seen from the record Of Il
-. first Democratic House Of Mr.. Cleveland
= administration and Of his own for I
- first half Of his term, both Of which W.
= = closed up to-day, that Republicans "
q be able to make unanswerable argumer
Il against continuing Democracy In powe
,t Further investigation shows that
A. peculations Of Howard. tho warden
ls the Southern Indiana penitentia
n. amount to at least 800, 900. II Is 81
10 that life convict who received a p'
lg sion of 81, 900 was murdered and his bo
K, thrown iuto n furnace after which